Ice creeper



Deb. 29, 1936.

' J. R. cRow ICE CREEPER Filed April 23, 1936 Inventor M g Attorneys Patented Dec. 29, 1936 ICE CREEPEB John Carroll Crow, i] City, Pa.

Application April 23, 1936, Serial No. 76,063

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in ice creepers and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a device of this character embodying novel means through the medium of which said device may be expeditiously mounted in position on the heel of a shoe and removed therefrom.

Another very important object of the invention is to provide an ice creeper of the aforementioned character embodying adjustable securing means through the medium of which the device may be conveniently mounted on heels of different widths. Still another very important object of the invention is to provide an ice creeper of the type including a plate and calks, together with novel means for anchoring said calks to the plate.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an ice creeper which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly efficient and reliable in use, compact, light in weight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several Views and wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing an ice creeper constructed in accordance with the present invention mounted on the heel of a shoe, said heel being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the device, showing the clamps folded, as when the device is not in use.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises an elongated metallic plate I which is adapted to be mounted transversely beneath the heel 2 of a shoe 3. Rising from the longitudinal edges of the elongated plate I are integral flanges 4 having spaced openings 5 therein. Adapted to be mounted selectively in the openings 5 for swinging movement between the flanges i are clamps which are designated generally by the reference numeral 6.

Each clamp 6 is formed from a single length of suitable wire bent in a manner to provide a substantially U-shaped, curved jaw 1. The jaws I are engageable with the opposite sides of the heel 2, as best seen in Figure 1 of the drawing. Each clamp 5 further includes arms 8 extending from the legs of the U-shaped portions 1 and terminating in out-turned trunnions 9 which are engageable selectively in the openings 5. It may be well to here state that the clamps 6 are of resilient wire to permit the arms 8 to be pressed inwardly for engaging the trunnions 9 in the openings 5 and for removing said trunnions therefrom.

The calks I0 depend from the plate I. The calks I9 include flanges II which are engaged with the bottom of the plate l and said, calks further include bendable lugs or ears it which are adapted to be inserted through openings I3 which are provided therefor in the plate I and clinched, as also illustrated to advantage in Figure 1 of the drawing.

It is thought that the operation of the device will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. To apply the device, the jaws 6 are swung to open position with the arms 8 resting on the plate l closely adjacent the flanges 4. Then in this position it will be observed that the jaws '1 rise substantially at right angles from the plate I. The resilient or yielding jaws l are then forced upwardly on opposite sides of the heel 2 in a manner to tightly embrace said heel therebetween, thereby securing the plate i in position beneath said heel 2 with the upper edges of the flanges 4 in engagement therewith. The shape or curvature of the jaws l is such as to facilitate the engagement of the heel 2 therebetween. This may be conveniently accomplished by simply layingthe device on the ground with the clamps 6 in open position and then forcing the heel 2 downwardly between the jaws I. When the creeper is in use any downward pull on the plate I will have a tendency to swing the upper portions of the jaws l inwardly in a manner to grip the heel 2 more tightly therebetween. Different widths of heels may be conveniently accommodated by simply adjusting the clamps 6 in the openings 5 of the flanges l. One of the jaws l is of less width than the other of said jaws, thus permitting the clamps 6, when the device is not in use, to be folded inwardly to the position shown in Figure 2 of the drawing for compactness, the narrow jaw passing through the comparatively wide other jaw. Further, when the clamps 6 are swung to folded position the arms 8 of the comparatively wide clamp engage and press the arms 8 of the comparatively narrow clamp inwardly in a manner to frictionally secure the clamps in folded position against idle swinging movement or rattling. When the calks I 0 become worn or dull said calks may be expeditiously removed to be replaced by simply bending the ears l2 upwardly.

It is believed that the many advantages of an ice creeper vconstruction in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the device is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:-

1. An ice creeper comprising a transversely elongated metallic plate engageable beneath the heel of a shoe, upstanding flanges on the longitudinal edges of said plate, said flanges having spaced openings therein, and resilient clamps engageable with the opposite sides of the shoe heel for detachably securing the plate in position therebeneath, said clamps including trunnions engageable selectively in the openings.

2. An ice creeper comprising a transversely the plate, said clamps still further including out 1 turned trunnions on the free ends of the arms engageable selectively in the openings, and calks depending from the plate.

3. An ice creeper of the class described comprising a plate, upturned flanges on said plate having spaced openings therein, clamps for securing the plate in position beneath the heel of a shoe, and trunnions on said clamps engageable selectively in the openings.

JOHN CARROLL CROW. 

